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Chemistry

The Chemistry Department at Western offers courses for students who plan to major Chemistry, Biochemistry and other physical, engineering and life sciences programs. The department offers M.S., B.S., and B.A. degrees in chemistry and biochemistry, approved by the American Chemical Society. Programs of study are designed to emphasize the fundamental principles of chemistry and their application to technological, societal, and industrial problems, to develop scientific reasoning, advanced hands-on laboratory skills, and to prepare students for success in graduate/professional programs, government, and industry.

The Department is recognized as having one of the strongest undergraduate-based research programs in the nation, supported by an average of $1 million in annual external grant funding. Award-winning faculty work closely with students on a variety of important scientific challenges, ranging from medicinal chemistry to solar energy, protein engineering, the development new aerospace and electronic materials, and many more. Students are immersed in an environment emphasizing strong interdisciplinary scientific preparation and receive hands-on experience with advanced chemical and biochemical methods in state-of-the-art facilities. The program draws top students from across the Washington and the country.

Western consistently ranks among the top universities in the West. Located in Bellingham, WA, the campus overlooks Puget Sound and the beautiful San Juan Islands, and is adjacent to the majestic Mt. Baker and the North Cascades.

Andrea d’Aquino was selected to be the Presidential Scholar for the College of Sciences and Technology at WWU’s Spring Commencement Ceremony.

The Murphy & Leger groups are awarded a 3-year grant from the NSF to develop biocompatible silk/conducting polymer actuator devices

Saum Hadi and Andrew Muchlinski present their poster at the annual meeting of the American Society of Plant Biologists in July 2014 in Portland, OR.

Mark Bussell, Takele Seda (WWU Physics) and collaborators at Wayne State University, Virginia Tech. and the University of Tokyo were awarded a NSF grant in July 2014 to investigate heteroatom removal reactions over metal phosphide nanocatalysts.